Ben Hill County Commission approves tax levy for $1.99 million in school bonds and submits CDBG application for road repairs
March 01, 2026 | Ben Hill County, Georgia
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At its April 4, 2023 meeting at the Ben Hill County Courthouse Annex, the Ben Hill County Commission voted unanimously to approve a tax levy resolution designed to provide funds to pay principal and interest on $1,990,000 in aggregate principal amount of Ben Hill School District general obligation bonds, series 2023.
Commissioner John Mooney moved to approve the resolution; Vice-Chair Hope Harmon seconded and the motion passed 5-0. The resolution authorizes an annual ad valorem tax levy to pay debt service on the district bonds.
Why it matters: The levy creates the local revenue stream required to service the district’s new general obligation debt. The commission’s action moves the bond financing forward for the school district and commits the county to collect the specified ad valorem tax to pay principal and interest on the bonds.
On the same agenda the commission approved actions tied to a Community Development Block Grant application. Vice-Chair Hope Harmon moved to select Hofstadter & Associates as the 2023 CDBG project engineer; Commissioner John Mooney seconded and the motion passed 5-0. (The transcript contains inconsistent spellings of the firm’s name; the commission recorded the selection and the firm name should be confirmed by county records.)
The commission then discussed and approved a resolution to submit an FY2023 CDBG application to fund street paving, flood control and drainage improvements on Sturgeon Creek Road, Plantation Road and a portion of Flint Road. Vice-Chair Harmon moved to approve the application submittal resolution; Commissioner Daniel Cowan seconded and the motion passed 5-0. Commissioners noted none of them resides in the target area and stated there was no conflict of interest for the application.
What’s next: With the engineer selected and the resolution approved, county staff will proceed with the CDBG application process and any required follow-up documentation. The meeting later moved to an executive session on legal matters; no public details were provided in the minutes.
Provenance: The tax levy motion appears in the meeting minutes under New Business and is recorded in the minutes at SEG 030–SEG 031. The CDBG engineer selection and application discussion and resolution are recorded at SEG 035–SEG 038.
Commissioner John Mooney moved to approve the resolution; Vice-Chair Hope Harmon seconded and the motion passed 5-0. The resolution authorizes an annual ad valorem tax levy to pay debt service on the district bonds.
Why it matters: The levy creates the local revenue stream required to service the district’s new general obligation debt. The commission’s action moves the bond financing forward for the school district and commits the county to collect the specified ad valorem tax to pay principal and interest on the bonds.
On the same agenda the commission approved actions tied to a Community Development Block Grant application. Vice-Chair Hope Harmon moved to select Hofstadter & Associates as the 2023 CDBG project engineer; Commissioner John Mooney seconded and the motion passed 5-0. (The transcript contains inconsistent spellings of the firm’s name; the commission recorded the selection and the firm name should be confirmed by county records.)
The commission then discussed and approved a resolution to submit an FY2023 CDBG application to fund street paving, flood control and drainage improvements on Sturgeon Creek Road, Plantation Road and a portion of Flint Road. Vice-Chair Harmon moved to approve the application submittal resolution; Commissioner Daniel Cowan seconded and the motion passed 5-0. Commissioners noted none of them resides in the target area and stated there was no conflict of interest for the application.
What’s next: With the engineer selected and the resolution approved, county staff will proceed with the CDBG application process and any required follow-up documentation. The meeting later moved to an executive session on legal matters; no public details were provided in the minutes.
Provenance: The tax levy motion appears in the meeting minutes under New Business and is recorded in the minutes at SEG 030–SEG 031. The CDBG engineer selection and application discussion and resolution are recorded at SEG 035–SEG 038.
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